I usually use 28 - 50 oz, you can usually use 28 on a good day though. Anything above 28 you will have a pretty big current running or a fast drift.

Not too sure why you would want to use an electric downrigger in these depths, I generally fish these depths with a TLD 50 and have little problems with the weight. When you get a descent fish you won't even notice the weight, it's more when you have to wind up for a bait check.

I am starting to venture a bit deeper though and will use winches for that work until I get a Tanacom bull, then I'll be using that to check the baits.

in a way it really wasn't designed for.  Downriggers are generally used when trolling to get lures or trolled baits deeper in the water column.  You seem to be planning to be using it as a means to get you bait on the bottom.  Anthony has described what the common practice is i.e. you use a sinker of sufficient size that will keep your bait(s) on the bottom.  Using a downrigger to do that in my mind is just complicating things. 

agree with AJ. If you're simply trying to get baits to the bottom & not have to haul up a big sinker, you're approaching it the wrong way.

your idea is different but all i can see happening is the fish getting tangled with the down rigger line! but usually for a hundred metres we would use between 2 pound and 4 pound

Give it a go just because people don't agree don't mean it can't work we would still be living in caves if we just followed the leader I fish up to 350m and it has crossed my mind let us know how it goes

that baits do not necessarily descend or ascend in a straight line.  Often the water pressure against them will make them spin and the longer you make the loops or traces only increases the problem.  By all means give it a try but two lines going down in parallel, one pulling the other down with swirling bait(s) imo is going to get very messy even before it gets to the bottom. 

Hi

Many thanks to all those who have put up a post about using downrigger for deep water. I had no idea how much weight was needed for fishing in the deapths of water indicated and your knowledge is very much appreciated. I was also unaware of the bait spining problem also. what I think I'll do is give the downrigger idea a fling and see how it pans out. As soon as I get a hookup I'll push the up button on the downrigger and it takes 1 metre a rev and will spin at 138 rpm so hopefully the fish won't be able to tangle with the wire line. I'm certainly supprised by the amout of weight needed I was thinking in the 3 - 5 kg area. I'll let you all know how it works when I can get out and try it.

Again thanks for all the advice

I think what you are making is more of an electric reel rather than a "downrigger".  Will this reel have a drag / clutch mechanism to allow fish to take line off the reel / drum.  Pushing a button is one thing but hooking something that wants to go in the other direction is another.  Something has to give.  I'm not knocking it, over the years I've had my share of experiments.  Wire line?  Why not go braid.

By all means give it a go but personally I don't see the point, I would at least try fishing the depths manually and see how you go.

It would be a shame to put so much time and effort in and then realise you can wind the weight up yourself. My only bit of advice would be to get a good gimble belt as it can get pretty tiring by the end of the day.